National Republican., 1887-11-29
pernIeIous ACTIVITY of onsformer..,

PerniclOus Activity OF 'Retormers''
The Mugwump seems destined never to
cease from troubling. Aftera brief period
Of thoughtful and fearful resignation he
has broken out In new spot, like a sore
that has been "scatteredn by radical rene
dies. The new grievance Is in the form OF
an old one revived. The Mugwump was
disposed to forget that his idol ever hal
written q letter Of Endorsement for one
Fellows, Of uusavory associations. Though
Of recent date he was disposed to consider
1t ancient history, and to treat 1t as part
OF Cleveland's early life.
The blind idolatry of the Mugwump has
refined the art of ignoring ugly blemishe,
In the objects Of his worship, and the way
was apparently clear and easy to dispose o
this Fellows skeleton by simply closing tht
eyes, or star gazing. But the offensive par
tlsans, who have returned TO Cleveland
bosom since his late exhibitions of perniciou-
activity, declared that the ghost should moi
down. With tantalizlng pertinacity they
have rehashed the Fellows letter in al
sorts Of ways, serving it daily, hot ant
cold, as whole and In tidbits, and per
haps oftener, on the half she'll to magnify
its aluring proportions. Thus challenge
the Mugwump could not adhere TO hi
old trick of assumed strablsmus. He Wa
forced to face the dlsagreeable thing a
once. Neither could he use his old dodg
the wicked partner, to excuse his con
tinued idolatry. lie had been able
maintain to his own satisfactIo.
that wicked partner German ha
deceived the innocent and contldlng Pre-,
dent as to M9ryland spoilsmen tn
wicked partner Jones had outraged H.
pure Democratic character of New En-.
land; that several wicked partners in Ne
York, Pennsylvania, and Indiana ha
abused Mr.. Cleveland's confidence, au
generally that their" President was
much befooled functionary, who was IA
superior to his party. But the Fellow
letter was in cold pen and ink character
from Cleveland's own hand. Not eve'
wicked partner Lamont could be accuse.
Of 1t. In fact, viewing 1t as pressed upoI
the sensitive Mugwump by the olfensiv
partisan, the wicked partner business gen
orally began to loom up as ridiculou
| phantasm.
This was the ugly aspect Of the Fellow
letter skeleton as revived, and the Mug
wump saw that he must tackle 1t afresh
1t was serious threat to his peace OF mind
How could he look with both eyes straigh
at an object so monstrous and continue t,
idolize its creator? Heroic treatment wa
necessary, and he promptly applied II
Straightway a Mugwump organ boldly dc
clared that although its chief had indorse
Fellows, "the President recalled the lette
on learning what kind of candidate Fe
lows was" The novelty Of this lates
evasion in the Mugwump catalogue
equaled only by its audacity. 1t had n
foundation. The Presidents friends assei
that he never repented his pernicious activt
in the last campaign.
But the trick will serve its purpose. Th
Mugwump will cheat himself into the be
lief that Cleveland repented, and therefor
he will cling to his idolatry. The spoil
man will be assured of Cleveland's retur
TO the flesh pots Of the great party {
hunger and thirst, and therefore he wi
shout for his chief with new zeal. Clev
land will not affirm nor deny, leaving bot
these delectable characters free to whoo
up the denomination, while the really ind
pendent voter will enjoy some solid rehe,
tions on the prospect of reform throug
pernicious activity.
While the free trade organs are very SUI
that the voice Of Cleveland in his messaq
will be the voice Of the old Carlisle.Morr
son combine, the New York Sun assure
the world that "the tariff reduction mea
ure, which has been prepared in the Trea
ury Department under the direction Of NJ
Cleveland and Mr.. Flirchild, leaves u
principle OF protection to American lab
unimpaired in its efficiency and vlgor.
And thus once more "you pays your none
and takes your choice" as to which theol
will constitute continuous and unchan
ing principle Of Democracy" But 1t
likely that either and all principles wi
finally prove to be unchanging only
merchandise useful in exchange for vote
The auctioneer should at once make
schedule of alleged Democratic principle